Automobile.



WITNESSES:

ak Q F w/ PATENTED MAY 9, 1905.

B. B. HERVEY.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

/V VE IV TOR Bey-WE. f/erw y BY WW 3:

ATTORNEYS PATENTED MAY 9, 1905. B. E. HERVE-Y.-

AUTOMOBILE.

APPLIOATI'ION FILED SEPT. 12, 1904.

a T 8 m 1m u N W M S Te T 1 W H E} n H W H 5 E Z Pwvm WES:

SillllO.

Patented May 9, 1905.

Patient BEN E. HERVEY, OF SPOKANE, \VASIllNG'ION.

AUTOMOBILE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 789,608, dated May 9, 1905.

Application filed September 12, 1904:. Serial No. 224,106.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BEN E. HERVEY, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of \Vashington, have made an Improvement in Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in that class of sell.-propellcd carriages which are provided with devices adapted to engage the surface on which the carriage runs.

The improvement is embodied in the construction, arrangement, and combination of parts hereinafter described, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a wagon provided with my improved propelling attachment. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the Fig. is a side elevation, and Fig. t is a rear elevation, of the wagon, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the drum for raising and lowering the push-rods.

The body A of the wagon or carriage may have any preferred or suitable construction. In this instance it is shown as rectangular and having a flat bottom. In the construction shown the bottom is provided surrounding its under side with a rectangular frame A, which is provided with bearings (t and a, in which are journaled the frontand rear cranks pres ently described. The body is supported by four wheels I3 It, the latter being applied to an axle U, which is pivoted centrally to the bolster I), attached to the under side of the body A. For the purpose of turning this axle (l, and thus guiding the wagon or carriage, I employ foot-levers E, which are pivoted horizontally to the under side of the body, (see Fig. 1,) their free ends extending toward each other and being accessible by openings F, n'ovided. in the floor or bottom of the vehicle. These openings F are elongated in the direction of the length of the body and are adapted and intended for reception of the feet of the operator, which thus rest upon thefrce ends of the levers E, as will be readily understood. The levers are supported at their inner ends by means of a strap or wire (1, which passes around a horizontal pulley l-l, pivoted to the under side of the body of the vehicle. It is apparent that when one lever is pushed forward the other will be retracted, and vice versa, the two levers always working together, but in opposite directions. Each lever is connected with the axle (l by means of cords, wires, or straps l, which pass around pulleys J, that are pivoted in brackets arranged at the sides of the body A. As indicated in Fig. 1, these pulleys are slightly inclined from the horizontal in order to accommodate the cords or wires 1. The latter may be attached to the foot-levers E at any point beyond the pivots of the latter.

For the purpose of propelling the vehicle I employ a series of push-rodsK, which are hinged to the cranks of a crank-shaft L, having its hearings in suitable brackets attached to the under side of the vehiclebody. As indicated in Fig. 1, there are four such rods K, the same being provided with branched. feet adapted to engage the surface of the ground or roadway and the cranks projecting in opposite directions or being set quartering, so that there is no dead-center. Vertical guides are provided for the rods K, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4-, the same being in the nature of a grid orskeleton frame depending from the bottom of the vehicle-body and having vertical guideways orslots formed by parallel bars M. It will be noted that the front push-rods and rear push-rods are duly spaced apart or arranged intcrmediately of each other, as shown in Fig. '1. Rotation is imparted to the said crank-shaft L from a counter-shaft L, the latter being arranged above the bottom of the vehicle and connected with the crank-shaft by means of sprockets and chains N, as shown.

For the purpose of driving the counter shaft L, .l prefer to employ a suitable motor 0, the same being arranged in the vehiclebod y and having the shaft L geared with the shaft L. It apparent that when the motor is driven rotation will be imparted to the crank-shaft L and that the push-rods will be thus reciprocated or alternately drawn forward and pushed back, whereby the vehicle will be propelled with corresponding rapidity.

Means are provided for raising the push rods K out of ei'igagement with the ground or roadway when it is desired to back the vehicle, and rods K are then brought into action, the same projecting forward from their cranks on a shaft L and being adapted to engage the ground or roadway between the front wheels B. As shown, the shaft L is geared by the sprocket-chain L with the shaft L and receives motion therefrom.

For the purpose of supporting the respective sets of push-rods K K, I employ the following means: By means of suitable devices 1 may set the propelling-rods K or the backing-rods K into operative position. This mechanism is shown as including a drum M, havinga handle M, by which it may be turned and connected by means of cords K: with the propelling-rods K and cords a with the backing-rods K, the cords depending from opposite sides of the drum, so that by turning the drum in one direction therods K may be lowered into position for operation and by turning the said drum in the other direction the rods K may be raised and the backingrods K brought to position for use, or both sets of rods may be adjusted clear of the ground when so desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a self-propelled vehicle, the combination with the front axle, which is pivoted as described, foot-levers pivoted to the bottom of the vehicle, their inner ends being accessible from above to the feet of the operator, cords connected with the ends of the axle and attached at their rear ends to the aforesaid foot-levers, and pulleys around which the said cords pass intermediately, substantially as described.

2. A self-propelled vehicle having a front axle pivoted as described, foot-levers pivoted to the under side of the body and extending inward toward each other, the bottom of the body having openings through which the operator has access to said levers, cords connecting the levers and axle, and pulleys over which they pass intermediately, a pulley located adjacent to the inner ends of said foot-levers, and a cord connecting the latter and passing around said pulley, substantially as described.

3. The improved self-propelled vehicle, comprising a body having supporting-wheels, a crank-shaft arranged under the body near its front end, and having push-rods attached to the crank and projecting rearwardly, and a second crank-shaft arranged under the rear portion of said body and having a series of push-rods projecting forward and arranged intermediate of the front push-rods, a vertical guide, pendent from the body, in which the push-rods work, cords connected with the respective push -rods, and a drum arranged above the body and to which the said cords are attached, the cords connected with the front push-rods passing over the front side of said drum, and the cords connected with the rear push-rods passing over the rear side, whereby when said drum is rotated one set of push-rods is raised and the other lowered in the manner described.

BEN E. HERVEY.

\Vitnesses:

L. E. IMHOFF, J. H. GREINER. 

